diff --git a/tinygrad/llops/ops_gpu.py b/tinygrad/llops/ops_gpu.py
index 2cca5665b3..9c9c24a81c 100644
--- a/tinygrad/llops/ops_gpu.py
+++ b/tinygrad/llops/ops_gpu.py
@@ -48,20 +48,26 @@ class CLASTKernel(ASTKernel):
       else: idx = v.expr_node(idx)
     return idx, valid
 
+  def image_idx(self, buf_index, idxy, validhacks=False):
+    assert self.buftokens[buf_index].typ == Types.FLOAT4, f"image must be FLOAT4 {self.buftokens[buf_index]} {self.bufs[buf_index].st}"
+    idx = (idxy//4)%self.bufs[buf_index]._base_shape[1]
+    idy = (idxy//(4*self.bufs[buf_index]._base_shape[1]))%self.bufs[buf_index]._base_shape[0]
+    if validhacks:
+      if isinstance(idx, ModNode) and idx.max < idx.b*2: idx = idx.a
+      if isinstance(idy, ModNode) and idy.max < idy.b*2: idy = idy.a
+    return f"(int2)({idx.cl}, {idy.cl})"
+
   def store(self, buf_index, value:List[Token]):
     if len(value) == self.buftokens[buf_index].size()*4: value = group_float4(value)
     if len(value)*4 == self.buftokens[buf_index].size(): value = split_float4(value)
     assert len(value) == self.buftokens[buf_index].size(), f"size mismatch {len(value)} != {self.buftokens[buf_index].size()}"
     for v, o in zip(value, self.buftokens[buf_index].offsets()):
       idxy, valid = self.compute_buf_index_symbolic(self.bufs[buf_index].st, buf_index, o)
-      assert str(valid) == "1"
+      assert str(valid) == "1", "store must always be valid"
+      assert self.buftokens[buf_index].typ == v.typ, f"buf must be {v.typ}"
       if isinstance(self.bufs[buf_index]._buf, CLImage):
-        assert self.buftokens[buf_index].typ == Types.FLOAT4, "image must be FLOAT4"
-        idx = (idxy//4)%self.bufs[buf_index]._base_shape[1]
-        idy = (idxy//(4*self.bufs[buf_index]._base_shape[1]))%self.bufs[buf_index]._base_shape[0]
-        self.kernel.append(f"write_imagef(data{buf_index}, (int2)({idx.cl}, {idy.cl}), {v.tok});  /* {self.bufs[buf_index]._base_shape} */\n")
+        self.kernel.append(f"write_imagef(data{buf_index}, {self.image_idx(buf_index, idxy)}, {v.tok});  /* {self.bufs[buf_index]._base_shape} */\n")
       else:
-        assert self.buftokens[buf_index].typ == v.typ, f"buf must be {v.typ}"
         self.kernel.append(f"data{buf_index}[{(idxy//(4 if v.typ == Types.FLOAT4 else 1)).cl}] = {v.tok};\n")
 
   def load(self, buf_index:int) -> List[Token]:
@@ -85,17 +91,8 @@ class CLASTKernel(ASTKernel):
       if (buf_index, o) not in self.loaded_keys:
         idxy, valid = self.compute_buf_index_symbolic(self.bufs[buf_index].st, buf_index, o)
         if isinstance(self.bufs[buf_index]._buf, CLImage):
-          assert self.buftokens[buf_index].typ == Types.FLOAT4, f"image must be FLOAT4 {self.buftokens[buf_index]} {self.bufs[buf_index].st}"
-          idx = (idxy//4)%self.bufs[buf_index]._base_shape[1]
-          idy = (idxy//(4*self.bufs[buf_index]._base_shape[1]))%self.bufs[buf_index]._base_shape[0]
-
-          if VALIDHACKS:
-            if isinstance(idx, ModNode) and idx.max < idx.b*2: idx = idx.a
-            if isinstance(idy, ModNode) and idy.max < idy.b*2: idy = idy.a
-            valid = None
-
-          ldrt = f"read_imagef({self.buftokens[buf_index].tok}, smp, (int2)({idx.cl}, {idy.cl})) /* {self.bufs[buf_index]._base_shape} */"
-          ldr = Token(f"({valid.cl} ? \\ \n   {ldrt} : (float4)(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0))" if str(valid) != "1" and valid is not None else ldrt, Types.FLOAT4)
+          ldrt = f"read_imagef({self.buftokens[buf_index].tok}, smp, {self.image_idx(buf_index, idxy, VALIDHACKS)}) /* {self.bufs[buf_index]._base_shape} */"
+          ldr = Token(f"({valid.cl} ? \\ \n   {ldrt} : (float4)(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0))" if str(valid) != "1" and not VALIDHACKS else ldrt, Types.FLOAT4)
         else:
           ldr = Token(f"{self.buftokens[buf_index].tok}[{(idxy//(4 if self.buftokens[buf_index].typ == Types.FLOAT4 else 1)).cl}]", self.buftokens[buf_index].typ)
           ldr = Token(f"({valid.cl} ? {ldr.tok} : 0.0f)", ldr.typ) if str(valid) != "1" else ldr